DEVOTION: A Wise and Godly Legacy
"Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly, and the pride of children is their fathers." – Proverbs 17:6
What kind of legacy are we seeking to leave?
One of our most significant earthly responsibilities and achievements is our family. As we consider our family's legacy, our focus shouldn't be on how much wealth we leave behind or how influential our family name is. These are the kinds of values the world says are important, but Proverbs gives us a different goal.
As parents and grandparents, we want our families to value God's wisdom. We take joy when we see our children pursuing God's Word rather than foolishness (17:25). We want to train them in knowledge, understanding, restraint, and discernment (17:27-28). These are the kind of pursuits that build the godly legacy we desire.
But raising this kind of family requires work and intentionality. It takes fostering relationships of peace and not strife (17:1) and eliminating conflict in those relationships (17:14). It means being there for each other in the difficult times (17:17). And it requires that we love each other at all times (17:17).
Building the legacy of a godly family is not a short road. It's not completed by the time our children turn five. This is the kind of patient, long-suffering work that lasts a lifetime. Yet it is a worthy and eternal investment.
And when we see grandchildren who love and fear the Lord and who walk in his wisdom, what joy that will be!
A crown indeed.
Consider
- What kind of legacy are you seeking to build? Does it include actively working to raise children who fear the Lord and who understand and seek his wisdom?
- How are you actively working toward this kind of legacy? How are you growing in wisdom and in fear of the Lord as you seek to set the example for your family?
Pray
- Pray for endurance to do the work of building a godly legacy. (Romans 15:5)
- Ask the Lord for joy in the work of legacy building and in the wisdom of his commands. (Psalm 19:8)